No Smoker Smoked Salmon Food

SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix together salt, sugar, brown sugar and peppercorns. Spread extra-wide aluminum foil a little longer than the length of the fish and top with an equally long layer of plastic wrap. Sprinkle 1/3 of the rub onto the plastic. Lay 1 side of the fish skin down onto the rub. Sprinkle 1/3 of the rub onto the flesh of the salmon. Place second side of salmon, flesh down onto the first side. Use the remaining rub to cover the skin on the top piece. Fold plastic over to cover then close edges of foil together and crimp tightly around the fish. Place wrapped fish onto a plank or sheet pan and top with another plank or pan. Weigh with a heavy phone book or a brick or two and refrigerate for 12 hours. Flip the fish over and refrigerate another 12 hours. Some juice will leak out during the process so make sure there's a place for the runoff to gather. Unwrap fish and rinse off the cure with cold water. Pat salmon with paper towels then place in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator) until the surface of the fish is dry and matte-like, 1 to 3 hours depending on humidity. A fan may be used to speed the process. Smoke fish (see Note) over smoldering hardwood chips or sawdust, keeping the temperature inside the smoker between 150 degrees F and 160 degrees F until the thickest part of the fish registers 150 degrees. Serve immediately or cool to room temperature, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Cook's Note: Trout, mackerel, and bluefish also smoke well.

SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• Wash the salmon fillets thoroughly and place in a pan. In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, ginger, and sugar and mix well. Pour the marinade over the fillets. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
• Preheat a smoker to 250 degrees F with hickory chips.
• Place salmon on the smoker. Smoke for 60 to 90 minutes, or until fish flakes nicely.
• Serve with freshly squeezed lemon just before serving.

NO SMOKER "SMOKED" SALMON

Steps:

• 1. (If you do not have access to hickory smoke powder, use smoked salt and or liquid smoke plus salt. Hickory smoke powder is available from www.myspicesage.com and other online vendors.)
• 2. Wash and dry the salmon fillet and place, skin side down, in a shallow non-reactive or glass pan.
• 3. Mix together the smoke powder, salt and sugar and distribute it in a thick layer covering the salmon.
• 4. Place some plastic wrap directly on the salmon and weight the salmon. I used pieces of quarry tile covered with foil. You can use anything heavy for this, e.g. a heavy can on a board, rocks, anything.
• 5. Wrap the whole construction in plastic wrap or tie in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours.
• 6. Remove the now cured salmon and rinse off the remaining salt and sugar. Dry with a paper towel and wrap tightly in foil.
• 7. Place the foil wrapped salmon in a baking dish and place in a 300F oven. Bake about 20 minutes, checking with a thermometer to make sure the salmon has reached 160F in the center.
• 8. Let cool in the foil and refrigerate. At this point it is ready for use. It will keep for several days refrigerated. I haven't tried freezing it yet.